The Brookhaven leader., 1887-04-21
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
His Remains Removed FROM Their Secret
Hiding Place and Finally Interrea-his
Features Unchanged.


His RemaIns Removed FROM Their Secret
Hiding Place and Finally 1nterred=His
Features Unchanged.
spRrsGFIELD, Ill, April l5-The remains
OF President and Mrs. Lincoln were pri-
yatcly taken from their secret resting place
Yesterday morning and Inferred IN the
north vault Of the Lincoln monument IN
Oak Ridge cemetery near this city. Less
than q dozen persons, members OF the Lin
colin Monument Association, ant Lincoln
Guard Of Hoacr were present. For years
the whereabouts of the roHatns OF the
great President and his wife have been
held IL t--stery from anxiety that they
would be stolen u C.ttrir huge reward
for their return. The actuai 9tte npt 10
carry of the bodies in 1876 was the
cause OF the formation Of the Guard OF
Honor, which organization secreted them,
and today surrendered their charge. Great
care was taken TO Keep the event Of the
morning a profound secret. At the ap-
poiated hcur few besides the little knot OF
guards were present The secret grave
was directly under the north hank Of the
obellsk about thirty feet from the north
entrance. but only accessible through
the south door. A door on the north
of the hole, where the Lincoln re-
mains are kept leads through long
dark passage; first east, then north, then
wet and then south 70 a recess Here,
about three feet below the surface Of the
fleor, were deposited the remains OF Abra-
ham Lincoln and his wife. Tic body of
Mr. Lincoln was in walnut coffin lined
with an air tight lead lining one-eighth OF
an inch thick. The walnut coffin was in
cedar box and inclosed IN Gn iron box.
Mrs. Lincoln's remains were similarly IN
closed. twenty-five years ago Mr.. Lincoln
was shot. When the guards, With the helu
ofa few laborers, had exhumed the cofins
and the lid Of the Presidents was removed,
his face was seen to be in n remarkable
state of preservation. Those who stood
around and had known Lincoln when alive,
easily discerned the features. They were
very distinct. The silver plate on the cof
fin lid was bright. On il was inscribed the
following
ABRAifsN LINCOLN.
Sixteenth President of the Cr'ted States.
Born February l2 1909; died April -. 'S'@
While the remains Of Mr. Lincoln were
exhumed to view, General Reece, President
Of the Guards of Honor, turned the remains
Of Mr. Lincoln over To the Idncoln Monu-
ment Association. 4 certificate vas signed
by the members of the Guards of HonoF
certifying that the renaIls iii thu coffin
were tnOSS received from tue IIlnCOIu Mon
unent Association in 1873. The Monument
Association made out certificate signed
by the members for the records Of the As
sociation, declaring the remains to be those
of Abraham Lincoln. The undertaken was
then directed to seal the coffin, ana a
plumber sealed it up. The coffin was then
taken out by the workmen and carried
around TO the vault on the north slde.
The members of the two associations and a
stranger or two who happened TO be looking
at the monument. followed. In the north
vault the floor had been taken up. A hole
eight feet long by six feet wide aud five
and half deep, bricked up and cemented,
had been prepared. The Presidents coffin
was placed in this grave on the west side.
The coffin containing Mrs. LIacoln's re-
mains was then brought to the vault and
placed on the east side of her husband. \
brick arch was then built over the collins.
This was covered with cement mixed with
small broken rock. The guards will be on
duty at the tomb until the cement becomes
hard. The marble sarcophagus. in which
the public have supposed the remains tohe'
is still in the vault.